Publication Account

Date 2007

Event ID 586443

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Publication Account

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/586443

Euan W Mackie Broch Corpus 2

ND26 7 HILL OF WORKS ('Barrock Broch') ND/2903 6255

This probable solid-based broch in Bower, Caithness, stands on flat ground. It was excavated in 1900 by Sir F Tress Barry and the only available account of the work is that compiled by the Royal Commission. Barry's plan is reproduced here. A much more recent plan of the still visible remains was made by Swanson [5]. Some trees grow on the site but the broch is still well preserved [5].

The main entrance is on the west-south-west and is 3.97m (13ft) long, 1.02m (3ft 4in) wide at the outer end with a pair of door-checks 2.4m (8ft) from the exterior. From the plan these seem to have been built, rather than made from projecting slabs on edge; however the masonry in this area is now broken down [5]. The passage behind them is 1.2m (4ft) wide.

A mural cell was at 8 o'clock and may have contained the stair, though this is not marked on the plan; this is a common position for a broch stair. The remains of two skeletons (presumably human) were found on its floor. Swanson observed another break in the inner face at about 2 o'clock which she thought might be another doorway [5], even though the original plan does not show one.

A well with steps leading down into it was found in the floor in front of this cell and slightly clockwise from it and there are various flagstones on edge in the interior which might be secondary. A line of masonry continues the right side of the entrance into the interior for 2.1m (7ft). The maximum height of the wall at the time of excavation was 1.2m (4ft).

There seems to have been a concentric face of masonry around the outer face of the broch, forming in effect a long curved passage around the structure. Another long passage containing a sharp bend, presumably secondary, leads to the main entrance and also connects with the concentric passage. Yet another passage leads outward from the latter at about 2.30 o'clock; part of the concentric wall can still be traced, as can the lines of the approach passages [5]. An outer ditch can still be traced running two thirds of the way round the broch, 7.9m (26ft) from it on the north and 15.25m (50ft) on the west; it is obliterated elsewhere. No doubt there were outbuildings between the ditch and the broch but they do not seem to have been explored. A stony rampart lies beyond the ditch [5].

Dimensions: internal diameter 8.85m (29ft), external c. 16.47m (54ft), so the wall proportion is about 48%. Swanson gives the internal diameter as 8.6m [5].

Finds [3]: these include 4 sandstone whorls; 1 handled stone cup [3] and the basal half of 1 large pottery vessel similar to those found at Keiss North (ND36 5) [2].

Sources: 1. NMRS site no. ND 26 SE 2: 2. Proc Soc Antiq Scot 38 (1903-4), 252 (find): 3. Proc Soc Antiq Scot 43 (1908-9), 17 (finds): 4. RCAHMS 1911b, 1-2, no. 3 and fig. 1: 5. Swanson (ms) 596-99 and plan.

E W MacKie 2007